Display stands



A ril 7, 1959 Filed Aug. 23, 1955 L. H. BEST DISPLAY STANDS 6 Z/ ZZ VM 2Sheet sSheet 1 jn-Verz for le lzj 595 April 7, 1959 BEST 2,880,879

, DISPLAY STANDS Filed Aug. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y nwa v V 1221/91?for .Leozzfl Bes has United States Patent DISPLAY STANDS Leon H. Best,Galva, Ill., assignor to John H. Best & Sons, Inc., Galva, 11]., acorporation of Illinois Application August 23, 1955, Serial No. 530,045

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-45) This invention relates to a stand for displayingsamples of rugs, carpeting or the like.

It is desirable and advantageous in displaying rug samples or the liketo support the samples substantially above floor level so that thematerial can be conveniently viewed and examined, and the primary objectof the present invention is to enable this to be accomplished in adouble-faced vertical stand of simplified, light-weight construction.

In displaying rug samples, it is desirable of course that as manysamples as possible be available in a group, and where it is proposedthat these samples be suspended from rings it has been found that unlessrings of unusually large diameter be used the samples naturally arrangethemselves in a rather sharply rounded or tight cascade at the freelower edges as well as at the upper edges supported by the rings. Thishas been found to be objectionable for the reason that only a limitednumber of samples can be displayed and conveniently turned on the rings,and another of the important objects of the present invention is toovercome this.

Further objects of the present invention are display rug samplesconveniently from a double-faced, easel-type stand having elipticalrings for suspending the samples from the upper edges thereof withoutproducing a cascade effect of any appreciable order, and to enable adisplay stand of the foregoing kind to be utilized in differentrelations.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, show preferredembodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and whatI now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applyingthose principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the sameor equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be madeas desired by those skilled in the art without departing from thepresent invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation on a reduced scale of a display standembodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective, partly broken away, of one form of theinvention with one of the retainer rings released to open position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation on an enlarged scale illustratingdetails of the stand;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation, partly broken away, of a modified form ofthe invention showing the supporting panels in section;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the modified stand;and

Fig. 7 is a view illustrating a modification of the stand shown in Figs.5 and 6.

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One form of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 asembodied in a double-faced, easel-type stand 10 comprising a pair oflegs 11 and 12 at one end of the stand, and a pair of like legs 13 and14 at the opposite end of the stand. Under the present invention, theseleg members diverge downwardly so as to afford a relatively wide andstable expanse at the foot of the stand, and this relation also servesto support the rug samples in a desirable fashion as will be mentioned.

At the upper ends, the leg members 11 and 12 are associated with a headmember 20A, and the leg members 13 and 14 are associated with a headmember 20B. The two heads 20A and 20B are similar, and it will beobserved that each head is machined at the underside with flat faces 21Fand 22F. The faces 21F and 22F diverge outwardly from the mid point ofthe corresponding head member, and depending from each such face is astub tube 23 serving as a mount for a corresponding one of the legs.Thus, the legs are of tubular steel, and the upper ends are telescopedon to the stub tubes 23 and are secured in place by set screws 26. Itwill be recognized that an adjacent pair of the stub tubes 23 divergedownwardly at the same angle as that of the leg members.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the heads 20Aand 20B are connected by a horizontal brace bar 30 having the oppositeends thereof reposed in corresponding medial openings in the heads 20Aand 20B. The heads 20A and 20B are held to the brace bar 30 by setscrews 32, Fig. 3, and enables the heads 20A and 20B to be adjusted onthe brace to accommodate rug samples of different widths. Preferably,the stubs 23 in each of the heads are inclined outwardly so that thelateral expanse of the legs is greater at the bottom than at the top.

The samples that are to be suspended will be provided with metal eyeletsas is well known, and in accordance with the present invention aresuspended or hung from retainer rings 35A and 35B that are spaced toreceive the metal eyelets. In the modification of Figs. 1 to 4, thesamples thus suspended from the rings 35A and 35B will be supportedalong marginal edges by the leg members 11 and 13 at one side of thestand and by the leg members 12 and 14 at the opposite side. Thus, thepair of leg members 11 and 13 and the pair of leg members 12 and 14 willin each instance be disposed in common inclined planes defining thetilted position to be assumed by the rug samples RS suspended from therings 35A and 35B as shown in Fig. 1. It will be appreciated that duringthe course of displaying samples, one or more samples will be turned onthe retainer rings 35A and 35B from one side of the stand to the otherto completely expose selected of the underlying samples.

The rings 35A and 35B are arched over the heads 20A and 20B. The upperextents 36, Fig. 3, of the retainer rings represent relatively shallowarcs whereas the opposite ends 37 thereof are of contrastingly sharp ordeep arc. The rings 35A and 35B are discontinuous thereby affordingopposite arms 39-1 and 39-2, and these arms, like the backs 36 of therings, are of relatively flat inclination so that both rings are ineffect elliptical. The arms 39-1 and 39-2 enable the rug samples as RS,Fig. 1, to be hung therefrom in the usual fashion, but it will beobserved that in so doing the edges are substantially in alignmentwithout the cascade eflect were the rings to be truly circular as hasbeen proposed.

The heads 20A and 20B are formed with recesses or grooves 40 and 41 inthe front and rear thereof. The end portions of the retainer ringscorresponding to the arms 39-1 thereof are disposed in the grooves 41and each such end portion is pivotally mounted on a pin 45 carried by 3the corresponding head member in the groove 41. The ends of the retainerrings corresponding to the arms 39-2 are adapted to be disposed in thegrooves 40, and are detachably secured therein by pins as 46, Fig. 4.Each pin 46 is passed through an opening in the end of the retainer ringand formed with a head in the form of a set screw 46S threadedly mountedin the head member, so that by turning the screw and withdrawing the pin46 the retainer rings may be opened as shown in Fig. 2 to enable newsamples to be inserted or old ones removed.

In the foregoing embodiment of the invention, the rug samples werebacked up by the leg members 11 and 13 on one side of the stand and theleg members 12 and 14 on the opposite side of the stand. There arecircumstances, as in the instance of rugsamples of unusual width, whereit is desirable that the rugs be backed up by a solid panel member, andmeans enabling this to be accomplished. are illustrated in Figs. to 7.Thus, as shown in Fig. 2,, openings 50 are drilled through the legmembers at spaced points, and this is accomplished so that an opening as501 in one of the leg members will be directly opposite opening 502 inthe leg member that is paired therewith at one end of the stand. Abacking board'SS of plywood, pressed board or the like is drilled withopenings that are adapted to register with the openings 50, and whensuch registration has been effected bolts 57, Fig. 5, are then passedthrough the registered openings so that the heads of these bolts aredisposed outwardly. Ends of the bolts 57 project beyond the inner sidesof the leg members and are adapted to receive a washer and a nut forholding the back-up panels 55 securely to the stand. The back-up panelsthus provided in effect serve also as spacers, so that if desired thebrace bar 30 may be omitted as shown in Fig. 7.

It will be seen from the foregoing that under the present inventionthere is afforded a light-weight display stand having ellipticalretainer rings for suspending samples of rugs or the like without therugs being drawn into a disadvantageouscascade effect. Such enlarges thenumber of samples that may be displayed with convenience, and moreoverthe particular construction used enables adjustments to be made anddifferent relations to be realized.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodimentsof my invention, it is to be understood'that these are capable ofvariation andmodification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited tothe precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchchanges and alterations as fall within the purview of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A stand for'displaying rug samples or the like comprising, a pair ofdownwardly diverging leg members at either end of the stand and which attheir upper ends are detachably connected to mounts on respective headmembers, a brace bar extended between said head members and adjustablymounted in respective openings in said head members, set screws in saidhead members for holding said brace bar in an adjusted position, the legmembers on either side of the stand being disposed in substantially thesame inclined plane so as to support in tilted relation on either sideof the stand a group of such 4 samples stacked outwardly one upon theother, and discontinuous one-piece elliptical retainer rings havingarcuate backs arched over said head members and free ends pivotallymounted in grooves in said head members to enable said samples to besuspended therefrom without substantial edge cascading and turnedthereon from one side of the stand to the other, said rings at theopposite ends being releasably secured by detachable pins in othergrooves in said head members.

2. A stand for displaying rug samples or the like comprising, a pair ofdownwardly diverging leg members at either end of the stand and which attheir upper ends are connected to respective head members, a horizontalbrace bar extended between said head members and adjustably relatedthereto, the leg members on either front and back side of the standbeing disposed in substantially the same inclined plane, at least theleg members on one side of the stand having a back-up board mountedthereon to be disposed in said plane so as to support in tilted relationon said one side of the stand a group of such samples stacked outwardlyone upon the other, said head members having grooves formed in the topsthereof and which open at opposite front and back sides of the headmembers, and a pair of discontinuous elliptical retainer rings havingbacks arched over said head members and ends mounted pivotally onhorizontal axes in related of said grooves in said head members toenable said samples to be suspended therefrom without substantial edgecascading and turned thereon from one side of the stand to the other,said rings at the opposite ends being releasably secured by detachablepins in related of said grooves in said head members.

3. In a rug display stand of the kind described, a pair of head membersconnected to a horizontal brace member, said head members occupyingrespective vertical planes, legs extending downwardly from and connectedto said head members, said head members having vertical grooves formedin and exposed at the tops thereof and said grooves opening and beingexposed at the front and back sides of said head members, a pair ofone-piece discontinuous rug sample retainer rings disposed in thevertical planes of said head members and having backs arched over andabove said head members, said rings each having one end disposed withina related one of said grooves at one side of each of said head membersand pivotally mounted therein on a horizontal axis for up and downswinging movement, and the opposite end of each of said rings beingreleasably secured within a related groove at the other side of each of.said head members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS807,383 Johnson Dec. 12, 1905 1,408,675 Wimberg Mar. 7, 1922 1,513,446Craft Oct. 28, 1924 2,019,090 Pepper Oct. 29, 1935 2,661,004 Ehlke Dec.1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 420,123 Germany Oct. 18, 1925

